Bio

Although a Virginian at heart, I live in Tbilisi, FSR Georgia, where I work as an independent analyst and consultant in economic development and public policy. Before coming here in January 2010, I lived in the Philadelphia region for about three years where I worked in economic development with a number of public organizations, including stints in executive functions at a New Jersey economic development agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry as Deputy Policy Director. Before that, I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Georgia, and I earned my Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from the School of World Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in lovely Richmond, Virginia. I completed my final semester at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania in December 2009, where I completed a master’s degree in public administration and economic development.

I have written articles for such publications as World Politics Review, the London Telegraph, and TCS Daily, among many others. In August 2009, I co-founded Evolutsia.Net, a news analysis and commentary ‘blogozine’ dedicated to Caucasus policy issues. I currently serve as the managing editor.

I also do other freelance writing, organizational consulting, and very little sleeping.

My primary policy and research interests lie in economic growth, the Caucasus, public management, international security, urban policy, and the relationship between culture & development. Other activities include writing (fiction and non-fiction), reading, photography, cooking, and painting (poorly). I am also a long-suffering NY Mets fan and a newly-suffering Philadelphia Union fan.

Contact me at michael[dot]cecire[at]gmail[dot]com.

-MHC